Dr. Niousha Saghafi wins wire sculpture contest

Creating an intricately woven wire tree adorned with a swing and a bench, Dr. Niousha Saghafi won the annual Department of Orthodontics wire sculpture contest for first-year residents.

Wire Sculpture by Niousha Saghafi

Dr. Mariana Muguerza came in second in the popular vote by faculty, staff and students in December. Her delicately fashioned butterfly perched on its base via a single strand of wire, fluttering at a breath of air.

Dr. Roozbeh Khosravi, Dr. Keyvan Sohrabi and Dr. Matthew Stout also contributed entries to the contest, which has been staged since 1966. Entrants must use predominantly orthodontic materials, such as wire, rubber bands and dental acrylic, and their work is judged for esthetic quality, innovative design and technical competence.

Previous contests have included a geisha figure, a model town, the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, a strand of DNA and the Lion King.

The contest was inspired by Dr. Ben Moffett, a School of Dentistry professor emeritus of orthodontics who passed away in 2008 after serving as a faculty member for three decades. In the 1960s, he took a UW art class in form and function, and was inspired to bring a lecturer on the subject to the School of Dentistry for weekly talks. Continuing interest in the subject soon led to the creation of the contest.